The success of a Royal Rumble match (while not always) is very dependent on the amount of star power in the match. You can always tell in the build up to the Rumble match how it may turn out. Most of the time you will either say #1. "This match is loaded, this is gonna be great" or #2. "There are so many fillers, this match is gonna drag. Let me use some examples.

The 2001 Royal Rumble match was the perfect example of star power. You had Stone Cold, Rock, Undertaker, Kane, Rikishi (who at the time was being pushed as a top guy), etc. Even though you had several fillers, it was overshadowed by Kane's great performance, The Brothers of Destruction reuniting, The storyline between HHH and Stone Cold, etc. An even greater example is the 2002 match which had Stone Cold, a returning HHH, Taker, Kane, Big Show, Kurt Angle, RVD, Booker T, etc. You've also had Rumble matches like 2005 that had a terrific mix of top stars and rising mid carders.

Then you have matches that lack star power, have many fillers, etc. You only need to look back one year at last year's Rumble match to see the perfect example. Sure, you still had some top guys like Orton, Jericho, Sheamus, Miz, etc. But you also didn't have either of the top two stars in Cena or Punk. Plus there was no Kane, Bryan, Henry, etc. And then it got even worse. All 3 announcers (Lawler, Booker, Cole) were apart of the match, thus wasting 3 spots. You had Hacksaw, Kharma, and Road Dogg, and while I enjoyed Road Dogg and Kharma, you had 3 more guys everyone knew wasn't going to win. Plus, the whole beginning of the match was nothing but a comedy segement w/ Foley/Ricard/Santino. The lack of star power and the addition of so many fillers made this one of the weakest Rumble matches ever.

One year later, however, I think that all changes. So much in fact, that I believe that this Rumble could be one of the most star studded, perhaps THE most star studded, Rumble matches ever.

Let's face it. In one week, WWE already has done a better job in building up this year's Rumble match than last year's. John Cena, Randy Orton, and Sheamus have already announced their entry into the match. Love them or hate them, they are undoubtedly the company's top 3 babyfaces.

You go from there and ask "who else will be added?" The next biggest name that will enter is the company's fastest rising star Ryback. Unless WWE totally switches their plans, Punk will face Rock at RR and Ryback will enter the Rumble match. Again, love him or hate him, Ryback has become one of the most over stars in the last few months and the crowd will erupt when the buzzer goes off and we hear "FEED...ME...MORE!"

You go from there and see who could be added. You've got The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, his new body guard Big Langston. The Tag Team Champions Kane and Daniel Bryan, The high flyers Mysterio and Sin Cara (assuming both are ready for the match), and The Rhodes Scholars consisting of Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes. You've got a nice group of mid carders in Kofi Kingston, Wade Barrett, Antonio Cesaro, and R-Truth.

Then you've got the great new trio known as The Shield. I definitely think Rollins, Reigns, and Ambrose will all be apart of the Rumble match and bring an element of chaos and surprise into the match. Plus there is Brad Maddox, who will bring some element of entertainment to the match.

Then you look at all of the possible surprise entrants. We could see the returns of Christian, Jack Swagger, and/or Mark Henry. You could even see the rumored returns of John Morrison, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, etc. Plus we could see the addition of past stars like the New Age Outlaws. And there is always that group of mid carders such as Clay, Ryder, Kidd, Gabriel, Tensai, etc.

Finally we see could even see the return of guys like Brock Lesnar or even The Undertaker.

I think this match will be the perfect mix of top guys, upper mid carders, mid carders, and returning stars. I think by the time it is all said and done, this match will be in the discussion as one of the most star studded Rumble matches in history. All the guys I look at that will possibly be in the match, and there are so many guys that won't waste a spot and make the match entertaining. If the cards are played right, this could go down as THE most star studded and entertaining Rumble matches ever.

ToddTheBod

01-05-2013 11:59 AM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

If you want to say that past Rumbles have lacked because some of the entrants you knew going into the match weren't going to win, well the same goes for this year.

You brought up people like The Shield, Maddox, Mid Carders like Kofi, Truth, Cesaro, Barrett, etc.. You know those guys aren't going to win. Just as you know it's not going to be Cara, Rey, Kane or Bryan.

I think the only viable winners for this rest in Cena, Sheamus, Orton or Ryback. Sure it could be a fun rumble (and I can easily see how it could be better then the last 2-3) but there are plenty of entrants you know aren't going home with the winner.

You can argue the "filler" spots will be more interesting (which I agree with) but that doesn't mean the unpredictably of it all (or lack thereof) means there are more "stars" involved.

dxbender

01-05-2013 12:03 PM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

The fact that the big stars are announcing they will be in the rumble is whats gonna give it that big feel.

It makes the rumble seem more important

The Pied Piper

01-05-2013 12:42 PM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

It's hard to top 1992 Rumble as far as star power goes.

TD Stinger

01-05-2013 03:13 PM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToddTheBod
(Post 12457102)

If you want to say that past Rumbles have lacked because some of the entrants you knew going into the match weren't going to win, well the same goes for this year.

You brought up people like The Shield, Maddox, Mid Carders like Kofi, Truth, Cesaro, Barrett, etc.. You know those guys aren't going to win. Just as you know it's not going to be Cara, Rey, Kane or Bryan.

I think the only viable winners for this rest in Cena, Sheamus, Orton or Ryback. Sure it could be a fun rumble (and I can easily see how it could be better then the last 2-3) but there are plenty of entrants you know aren't going home with the winner.

You can argue the "filler" spots will be more interesting (which I agree with) but that doesn't mean the unpredictably of it all (or lack thereof) means there are more "stars" involved.

Perhaps my wording was wrong. Again last year, we saw entrants like all of the commentators, Ricardo, and a bunch of a lower card guys like Hunico, Khali, Primo, Epico, Hacksaw, Jinder, The Usos. There were just a bucnh of guys that I just didn't give a damn about.

I know the people you mentioned won't win, (although Bryan has a slim chance in my eyes) but they won't waste a spot. In the eyes of the casual fans, all of the guys you mentioned have been featured prominently on TV for months. Just b/c people on the internet know that "this person won't win", that doesn't mean everyone else does. When they see guys like Kane, Bryan, Barrett, Cesaro, Kofi, The Shield (I agree about Maddox) they will think that maybe these guys can win or at least cause a lot of damage.

There are always 3-4 guys who will probably win the Rumble match. But the difference between a lot of other Rumbles and my perceived vision of this one is that there will be much more interesting stars involved, which in my book counts as star power.

So, we respectfully disagree.

Rocky Mark

01-05-2013 03:40 PM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

ever ? come on now, 1992 had Hogan, Warrior, Flair, Savage, Bret, Taker, Piper, Sid, Jake Roberts, SGT Slaughter, and HBK (who was still a young player at the time but nonetheless)

torturedsoulv1

01-05-2013 03:44 PM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

I think that Ryback will win. I don't want him to, but I think he will.

Choke2Death

01-05-2013 03:44 PM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

Hell no. They have quite possibly the worst roster in their history (1995 might beat it, though) and even though whatever limited number of full-time stars they have will be in the match (Cena & Orton notably), there really isn't much else. Maybe some surprise appearances but they're there almost every year. There's the off-chance that Undertaker and Brock Lesnar appear too, but that's unlikely and even then, nowhere near enough to compare to any Rumbles from the past decade.

Stone Hot

01-05-2013 04:18 PM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

The 2010 Rumble was very star studded. It had Chris Jericho, Edge, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Batista, Cena, Kane, Big Show. As a matter of face the 2010 rumble was the last rumble I even enjoyed I haven't like the royal rumble the past 2 years I hope 2013 will change that and I have a feeling it will.

Freeloader

01-05-2013 08:09 PM

Re: Could The 2013 Rumble Match Be The Most Star Studded Ever?

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pied Piper
(Post 12457237)

It's hard to top 1992 Rumble as far as star power goes.

Yeah, this totally. the WWF in 1992 was at it's peak for talent. 2002 was also loaded, but I'd pick 1992. Hogan, Flair, Undertaker, Randy Savage....shit I'd have to go look....